Used in pharmaceutical research and development, particularly in the synthesis of fluorinated analogs of natural amino acids. The trifluoromethyl group enhances metabolic stability and lipophilicity, making this compound valuable in designing bioactive peptides and enzyme inhibitors. It is also employed in studies related to neurotransmitter pathways due to its structural similarity to tyrosine, allowing investigation of receptor binding and transport mechanisms in the nervous system. Additionally, it serves as a chiral building block in asymmetric synthesis for creating novel drug candidates.